This web site supports Dr. Russell Sabella's work on educating children, parents, educators and other stake holders about the responsible use of technology. Included in these pages you will find helpful resources, lesson plans, links, and more.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

By Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer TOKYO — Japanese youngsters are getting so addicted to Internet-linking cellphones that the government is starting a program warning parents and schools to limit their use among children.

The government is worried about elementary and junior high school students getting sucked into cyberspace crimes, spending long hours exchanging mobile e-mails and suffering other negative effects of cellphone overuse, Masaharu Kuba, a government official overseeing the initiative, said Tuesday.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Teens write a lot, but they do not think of their emails, instant and text messages as writing. This disconnect matters because teens believe good writing is an essential skill for success and that more writing instruction at school would help them.

Cyberbullying is a form of child abuseThe Star-Ledger - NJ.com, NJ -May 19, 2008A federal grand jury last week did the right thing when it indicted a woman accused of using a MySpace page to humiliate a 13-year-old neighbor who then ...

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

It will come as no surprise to most parents that cyberbullying can be deadly. You may recall that Megan Meier, a St. Louis 13-year-old, took her own life because of an online hoax allegedly perpetrated by a disgruntled friend’s mother.

This week, that mother, Lori Drew, was indicted on charges of one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing protected computers without authorization to obtain information to inflict emotional distress on Megan Meier. If convicted, she faces 20 years in prison.

Megan’s family Is working closely with attorney Parry Aftab, the executive director of StopCyberbullying.org. (See our article, The Truth About MySpace.com which offers vital information for teens online.) They have organized a campaign to get a million children this year to sign the “Megan pledge” to end cyberbullying.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

WATKINSVILLE, Ga. (AP) School officials are taking steps to keep students from sending threatening electronic messages or taking an online dispute into the classroom.

Administrators have asked school officials to clarify the system's policy on so-called ``cyberbullying.'' Administrators say they are faced with the next generation of student harassment over the Internet and on cell phones.

Next week, Oconee school board members are expected to update the district's code of student conduct to include rules about electronic threats.

The proposed changes would include transmitting threats or taunts through e-mail, instant messages, text messages or Web site and blog posts. The changes also warn against directing other students to a hateful or harassing Internet site or printing out such material and taking it to school.

Monday, May 5, 2008

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Spreading rumors and gossiping may not cause bruises or black eyes, but the psychological consequences of this social type of bullying could linger into early adulthood, a new University of Florida study shows.

In a study of 210 college students, UF researchers discovered a link between what psychologists call relational victimization in adolescence and depression and anxiety in early adulthood, according to findings published online this month in the journal Psychology in the Schools. Rather than threatening a child with physical violence, these bullies target a child’s social status and relationships by shunning them, excluding them from social activities or spreading rumors, said Allison Dempsey, a doctoral student in the UF College of Education and the study’s lead author.